Hersekzade / Hersekli ⋅ Damat
Ahmed
Pasha
19th Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
In office
1497–1498
MonarchBayezid II
Preceded byKoca Davud Pasha
Succeeded byÇandarlı Ibrahim Pasha the Younger
In office
1503–1506
MonarchBayezid II
Preceded byHadım Ali Pasha
Succeeded byHadım Ali Pasha
In office
1511–1511
MonarchBayezid II
Preceded byHadım Ali Pasha
Succeeded byKoca Mustafa Pasha
In office
1512 – November 28, 1514
MonarchSelim I
Preceded byKoca Mustafa Pasha
Succeeded byDukakinzade Ahmed Pasha
In office
8 September 1515 – 26 April 1516
MonarchSelim I
Preceded byDukakinzade Ahmed Pasha
Succeeded byHadım Sinan Pasha
Personal details
Born
Stjepan Hercegović

1459
Novi, Kingdom of Bosnia
Died21 July 1517(1517-07-21) (aged 57–58)
Kızılçöl, Dulkadir Eyalet, Ottoman Empire
NationalityOttoman
SpouseHundi Sultan
ChildrenSultanzade Musa Bey
Sultanzade Mustafa Bey
Kamerşah Hanımsultan
Hümaşah Hanımsultan
Military service
Allegiance Ottoman Empire
Branch/service Ottoman Navy
RankKapudan Pasha (grand admiral)

Hersekzade or Hersekli Ahmed Pasha ("Ahmed Pasha, son of the Herzog"; Serbo-Croatian: Ahmed-paša Hercegović; Aхмед-паша Херцеговић; 1459 – 21 July 1517), born as Stjepan Hercegović, he was the youngest son of the Herceg Stjepan Vukčić. Between late 1473 and early 1474 he departed from Novi (today Herceg Novi) to Istanbul, where he adopted Islam along with the peculiar way of life of the Ottoman court, which made possible his advancement through the Ottoman government and military ranks, eventually occupying top offices of the Empire's government and military as a statesman and navy's grand admiral.

Early life

Stjepan was born into the Kosača family in c. 1459. He was third and youngest son of Herceg Stjepan Vukčić, at the time most powerful Bosnian noblemen. Stjepan's half-siblings from his father's first marriage included Queen Katarina, wife of King Stjepan Tomaš, Vladislav Hercegović, and Vlatko Hercegović, their father's successor. Stjepan's family belonged to the Bosnian Church, but were "shaky Christians" like most of their countrymen. His half-sister, Catherine, converted to Roman Catholicism upon marriage and became pious follower of the church.[1][2]

Stjepan himself left Novi and departed for Istanbul in early 1474, at the latest, where he adopted Islam and changed his name to Ahmed.[3]

Career

After settling in Istanbul at the Bayazid II's court, he assumed various high offices, and after marrying Bayazit II's daughter, Hûndi-Hâtûn,[4] he reached the very top of the empire's government and military in a 40-years long career.[5] Hersekli Ahmed Pasha[1] was a five-time Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire and Grand Admiral to the sultan, serving five times as Grand Vizier in the period from 1497 to 1515. He died on 21 July 1517 of natural causes, toward the end of the reign of Selim I.[5][6]

Family

He married Hundi Sultan, a daughter of Sultan Bayezid II by his concubine Bülbül Hatun, in 1484. They had at least two sons and two daughters:[4]

  • Sultanzade Musa Bey
  • Sultanzade Mustafa Bey
  • Kamerşah Hanımsultan
  • Hümaşah Hanımsultan

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. Michigan: The University of Michigan Press. p. 589. ISBN 0472100793.
  2. ↑ Pinson, Mark (1996). The Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina: their historic development from the Middle Ages to the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Harvard CMES. p. 33. ISBN 9780932885128.
  3. ↑ Vrankić, Petar (October 5, 2017). "Stjepan/Ahmedpaša Hercegović (1456.?-1517.) u svjetlu dubrovačkih, talijanskih i osmanskih izvora". Hercegovina: Časopis za kulturno i povijesno naslijeđe (in Croatian) (3): 33, 34, 35, 36. doi:10.47960/2712-1844.2017.3.9. ISSN 2566-3429. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Uluçay 1985, p. 50.
  5. 1 2 Vrankić, Petar (October 5, 2017). "Stjepan/Ahmedpaša Hercegović (1456.?-1517.) u svjetlu dubrovačkih, talijanskih i osmanskih izvora". Hercegovina: Časopis za kulturno i povijesno naslijeđe (in Croatian) (3): 9–67, 35, 36. doi:10.47960/2712-1844.2017.3.9. ISSN 2566-3429. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  6. ↑ Pinson, Mark (1996). The Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina: their historic development from the Middle Ages to the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Harvard CMES. p. 34. ISBN 9780932885128.
Bibliography
  • Uluçay, M. Çağatay (1985). Padişahların kadınları ve kızları. Türk Tarih Kurumu.
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